Food creator and cookbook author Daen Lia has shared a simple method for peeling garlic that makes the skin 'slide off', saving time in the kitchen. The tip, posted on her social media account @Daenskitchen, has gone viral with over 9,000 likes and numerous comments from grateful viewers.
How the Method Works
Daen, who has over eight million followers across platforms and 1.9 million subscribers on YouTube, demonstrated the technique in a video. She instructs: 'Grab your garlic and begin by separating the cloves from the bulb. Find any small gap at the top of the bulb where the stem used to sit, wiggle your finger under it, and begin to break away those cloves.'
Once the cloves are separated, she advises placing them in a bowl and pouring boiling hot water over them. Leave them to sit for five minutes. 'The hot water will soften the skin and make it really easy to slide off,' Daen explains.
No Change in Taste or Texture
Daen assures that the method does not alter the garlic's taste or texture. For those concerned, she offers an alternative: replace boiling water with cold water and let the cloves sit for one to two hours, which has the same effect.
After soaking, the skin becomes so soft that Daen uses her fingers to slide it right off. She then uses a sharp knife to cut off the woody parts, which she finds unpleasant to eat. She also suggests keeping the garlic skins to make garlic powder or to flavour homemade stock.
Viewer Reactions
The video garnered positive feedback from viewers. One fan commented: 'This is a helpful tip! Thank you.' Another wrote: 'Thank you very much.' A third said: 'Thanks for the tip! I usually just shake the hell out of it.' Another viewer shared: 'I've been dipping my garlic in cold water without knowing. Garlic sticks to knives without water, so I just take some water in a bowl, put the garlic in, and start to peel. Next time I'll leave it a little longer. Thanks.' More praise read: 'This has just saved so much time.'
Daen's recipes are available on her website, Daen's Kitchen.
